


Oh To Be Lonely at Christmas

by Saveourskinship



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas Crushes, Christmas Fluff, Draco Thinks He's Stealth, F/M, Fluff, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hermione Totally Knows, Hermione's Friends Won't Leave Her Alone, Hogwarts Eighth Year, KEEESSEEES, Mentions of Hermione Being Bi, Mentions of PTSD, Mentions of Sex Magic, Pining, Sharing Beds But With Friends Not With Draco Sorry!, Some Talk of Sexy Times
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:34:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28259295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saveourskinship/pseuds/Saveourskinship
Summary: Hermione loves her friends, really she does. But dealing with PTSD issues has meant Harry, Ron and Ginny can barely leave her alone. They just won't stop touching her! She needs a place to hide to be alone, read and study. What better place than the Slytherin common room? And what better time than at Christmas?And she might just be able to be in the presence of a certain blonde wizard. But that's low on her list. Definitely.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 10
Kudos: 71





	Oh To Be Lonely at Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, I have to admit, I'm not really a Christmas person, but so many lovely Christmas fics were popping up I just had to jump on board.
> 
> A wonderful holidays to you all.

It was twelve days before Christmas, the Great Hall’s enchanted ceiling snowed sugar crystals that dissipated before they reached the tables, but they tasted like candy canes if you cupped them in your hands. The moving stairs had fir garlands and jingled with bells as they swept across hallways. Sprigs of mistletoe danced cheekily in the air settling upon any who lingered in a shared space for too long. 

Hermione was sitting at the Gryffindor table, attempting to read. However, Harry was leaning on her side, talking to Ginny and Ron was adjusting the cuff of her jersey stroking her hand idly as he talked to Seamus about Quidditch. She sighed.

Her friends were wonderful but as Ginny pulled one of her curls to get her attention the thought flitted in Hermione’s mind that they were terribly annoying, too. Of course, that made her flush with guilt and she smiled, turning to hear Ginny’s words with more concentration.

She closed her book with a twinge of sadness. “I know you said you want to study and catch-up for your N.E.W.T.’s, ‘Mione but we didn’t want you to be lonely on Christmas so we’ve been given permission to Apparate in and out of Hogsmeade! We’ll only be gone Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we’ll come right back on the 26th, promise!” 

Her dear sweet friend looked so excited as she bounced half-sitting in Harry’s lap. Harry had looked at her with a smile, too. He didn’t want her to be lonely over Christmas and she smiled back saying thank you, letting Ginny crush Harry against her in order to obtain a hug.

The move had jostled them into Ron who leaned into Hermione, picking a stray hair from her robes. “Yeah, don’t worry Hermione, we’ll be back in no time. So don’t feel bad studying over the holidays. Might even do some with you,” he gave her a cheeky grin and Hermione had to fight the urge to run very far away.

The jingling of mistletoe appeared above her and she swallowed a groan as Harry and Ron both kissed her on the cheek, Ginny laughing merrily at the spectacle.

Hermione sighed wistfully at the Slytherin table noting how they were far more reserved than her own friends. Keeping a respectable distance as they chatted and laughed with each other whilst she was being gently shaken by Ron who now had his arm around her shoulder, talking over her to argue with Ginny about something or other.

She let her vacant eyes stare into a middle space as she tried to remember the last time she had been alone and not constantly touched by her friends aside from visits to the bathroom. She’d tried using the Prefects facilities to bathe so she could get away for just a little bit, but one of them always tracked her down and joined her. They had left their modesty somewhere in a forest or field last year and even a return to normalcy hadn’t replaced it. Ginny… well she was just Ginny.

She understood why they needed the constant touches, hugs, strokes and hand holds. It was a reassurance, a reminder that the war was behind them, only the future lay ahead, one untainted by the presence of an evil wizard. It was their final year at Hogwarts and they were finally, enviably happy. 

They had cleared out one of the dorms for the four of them, collecting all the beds together in the centre of the room, laying haphazardly over each other to sleep, ready to help if one of them woke with nightmares or panic attacks.

Hermione was grateful but she craved some personal space. She couldn’t remember the last time she spent a day just to herself. Growing up as an only child, it was difficult not having that down time. She had decided to stay back at Hogwarts for Christmas to give herself some space to be alone. But those two weeks had now dwindled to two days. She sighed again.

Someone was awkwardly waving at her. It was Theo Nott from her study group, he had noticed her staring at the Slytherin table. Embarrassed, she placed a hand to her forehead then flourished it with a shrug in a way that said, _Oops, sorry!_ and waved back. He smiled and turned back to his housemates as Harry grabbed her waving hand, pulling her up from the table as they started to leave. She barely had time to grab her book as she stumbled off the bench, trying to rejoin their conversation as they made their way to Gryffindor.

However, her small interaction with Theo had given her an idea.

* * *

“Hey Draco, do you know who all is staying with us over Christmas?” Theo asked him, looking down at some mail he had received. 

“A couple of second years, Boone from third, Montague from fifth, us two and Blaise of course,” he munched on a piece of toast, leaning over to see what Theo was reading. “Any special reason?”

“Hermione is asking if it would be OK to study in our common room,” Theo said, handing the letter to him. 

Draco choked on his breakfast, “As in Granger?” 

Theo looked at him blandly, “Do you know how stupid that sounds, Draco as in Malfoy. Do you know anyone else called Hermione?”

Draco scowled at his friend before taking the letter and reading it.

_Dear Theo,_

_Sorry for being awkward last night, I was having a moment. Anyway, I was wondering if I might be able to ask a huge favour?_

_I was really looking forward to embracing loneliness this Christmas, but my wonderful friends have brought it upon themselves to upend that fantasy._

_So, here’s the favour: Do you know how many people will be in Slytherin for the holidays? And do you think they might be OK with me studying in your common room? I think it’s the last place my friends would look for me, the idiotic darling fiends._

_I don’t expect anyone to be nice or talk to me at all, in fact I rather hope they don’t. I just want somewhere to read._

_Please let me know when you can and if there’s anything I can do in return._

_Fa la la and all that,  
Hermione_

“So, what do you think?” Theo took the letter back from him. “Could be funny at least. Nothing says the war is over like Hermione Granger in the Slytherin common room.”

“What does she mean ‘sorry for last night’?” Draco pointed at the line. 

Theo laughed. “Of course that’s what you focus on. Weaslebee, Potter and Weaslette were all over her and she was looking over at our table like we were paradise. I guess because we are able to keep our hands off each other for five minutes.”

Draco rolled his eyes. It had been rather noticeable that all this year the four Gryffindors couldn’t stop themselves from reaching out to each other. There were even rumours they all slept together in one bed. “I’ll ask Blaise and the other senior from fifth if they’re fine with it. She should be easy enough to ignore.”

Theo snorted. “I doubt that.”

“I didn’t realise you and Granger were mates,” Draco looked at his friend and raised an eyebrow. 

“She used to host a study group that I was part of. Fifth and sixth year, couldn’t really tell you back then you know,” Theo sipped some pumpkin juice as Blaise sat down. “Hey, you alright if we have a leonin addition to our common room over break?”

Blaise smiled lasciviously. “What are we talking?” he asked, turning to appraise the Gryffindor table. 

“Nothing like that, fuck-” Theo shook his head in exasperation. “Hermione just wants somewhere to study.” He passed the note to Blaise as well who read it and his eyebrows shot up his face.

“This is a most intriguing letter; it would be a good idea to have Granger owe us a favour. You think she’ll grant us one each?” 

Theo yanked the letter back. “Technically I am the one she is asking the favour from. Screw it, I’m going to write her back and say it’s fine.”

He scribbled a quick note and waylaid one of the school owls that were still hanging around, asking it to send the reply over the Gryffindor table.

The three Slytherins watched it go over and drop onto the book in front of Hermione. This morning, Ginny was plaiting a section of the witch’s curly hair. Meanwhile Potter stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders, chatting to his girlfriend and Weasley had linked through her arm on the other side from his sister, trying to coax Hermione into eating.

Granger picked up the note.

“Won’t they be able to read it?” Blaise threw his question backwards but stayed watching.

“I wrote it in runes, the others don’t take that class,” Theo replied.

Granger read it and clutched it to her chest, exhaling visibly. She brought up her head with a look of abject gratitude and mouthed, ‘ _Thank you_ ’ before finally taking a tiny nibble of the piece of bread Weasley was trying to shove in her.

Blaise turned back around. “I get why she reached out. I mean, I’d noticed it, but I had no idea how bad it was. They’re swamping her, it must be hell.”

“I think they try hardest with her since she’s unattached, they must think she needs it more,” Theo mused, placing a preservation charm on the letter to be held as bond for the future favour they may need from Hermione.

“What do you mean unattached? Weasley is all over her.” Draco gestured over at the Gryffindors again.

Theo waved the exclamation away. “Nah, mate, they broke up before school started. Weasley’s been making his way round the houses. Currently he’s with Sue Li in Ravenclaw. How did you not know this?”

Draco just shrugged, looking back to his breakfast.

Blaise and Theo shared a grin. Theo already knew what he would use the favour for.

* * *

Hermione managed to sneak away on Saturday morning before Harry, Ron or Ginny had woken up. Sue had crashed with them as well that night and she had blearily opened her eyes a little, but it was 6am and they had been partying the previous night in celebration for the last day of classes so she quickly fell back asleep.

Hermione borrowed one of Harry’s robes so it was looser on her and pulled the hood up to try and not be recognised. She transfigured the Gryffindor colours to that of Slytherin and changed the badge emblazoned on it. 

Heading to the Great Hall she quickly grabbed a coffee and a slice of toast before getting out the Marauder’s Map and checking she was in the clear. She followed the map to the Slytherin dungeons and she could see that most everyone was asleep in their dorms. There was a person who had been left as a party casualty in the common room, but she thought it should be fine to slip by them. She folded the map away again.

She whispered the password Theo had given her and slipped in. She had to veer into the hallway again though as she nearly collided with someone though with her hood up and Slytherin robes, the person she nearly walked into just mumbled a hoarse apology as they stumbled in the direction of the Great Hall.

The person of the party foul persuasion was completely out to it and the common room was blessedly quiet. She found an armchair that was turned to a fireplace and a wall of windows that looked into the lake. It was facing away from the rest of the common room and was far away from the stairs descending to the dorms.

She settled herself and brought out her Extendable Bag, removing her shoes and placing them under the chair, tucking her feet underneath her. She took out her N.E.W.T. Ancient Runes book and immersed herself in hushed solitude, relaxing her shoulders and smiling in a way she hadn’t been able to in a while.

She managed a couple of hours of solid study before the common room began to get louder. Students were getting up and she heard a lot of groans, moans and curses from those suffering hangovers. Some were panicking about getting ready for the train that morning, others about missing breakfast. But after an hour-long flurry it had quietened again.

She had settled into another focused bout of study though she replaced Ancient Runes with Arithmancy. A happy shiver ran through her as she finally felt like herself.

It was around lunchtime when she heard familiar voices coming up from the dormitories. It sounded like they had settled themselves on the couches, she hoped to ignore them, but her ears perked up when she heard her name.

“So, when do you think Granger will come?” she heard Malfoy ask.

“Not sure, she didn’t give me a time,” Theo responded, yawning.

She bit her lip not knowing when to announce her presence.

Then Blaise spoke up, “Well, I’ve been making a list of potential favours Granger can do for us. I say we start at the most lewd before working our way down to see what she’ll consent to.”

If that wasn’t a fine enough moment to show herself, Hermione didn’t know what was. She turned in the chair and knelt on the seat popping her head up and crossing her arms over the top of it, shaking the hood back.

“Give us a look, then,” she held out a hand for the piece of paper in Blaise’s hand.

Three shocked Slytherin faces looked back at her. 

“Granger, avert your eyes!” Malfoy exclaimed, drawing a robe around himself.

She furrowed her brow before it cleared. “Oh, because you are all in a state of undress,” she slid back into her studying position, bringing the book back into her lap. “If it’s all the same to you, I’ll just keep reading. Thank you for letting me use your common room. I’ll look at that list later OK, Blaise?” and she fell silent again sinking back into making notes for Arithmancy.

She heard Blaise chuckle and Malfoy curse before they presumably went back to their dorms, however the other armchair beside the one she occupied crunched as a tall body folded into it.

“Ready for me to see your catalogue of favours?” Hermione raised an eyebrow but didn’t look up from her book as she scratched a notation on some parchment.

“This really leaves you unaffected, Granger?” Blaise gestured to himself in nothing but boxer shorts. 

Hermione sighed and placed her quill in the book to mark her place. “I spent most of last year in a tiny tent with Harry and Ron. To be honest, you’re a tad overdressed if you want to fluster me.”

“How perfectly tawdry, Granger,” the wizard beside her stretched, testing her.

“If I act the way you want me to, will you leave me to my studying, or should I go bother the Hufflepuffs to share their space?” she latched bored eyes onto his sparkling ones.

“And how do you think I want you to act?” he grinned at her.

Hermione lowered her lashes thinking of the time she messed up a potion and Slughorn chastised her in front of the whole class. She blushed. She flicked her eyes to Blaise releasing a breathy moan and placing shaking fingers to her lips. “Oh, Mr. Zabini, you’re making me all aflutter, I must insist you place reams of material between yourself and my lustful gaze. I am feared to become terribly wanton if you do not-” she dropped the pretence with a wave of her hand. “Or something like that?”

Blaise stood up, “Green and silver looks good on you, Granger.” He laughed before he was hit by flying garments.

“Clothes, Blaise.” Malfoy yelled at him. Blaise bent to sweep them off the ground, placating his friend, but Hermione had stopped paying attention. She put away Arithmancy and picked up Charms instead. If the Slytherins were hellbent on distracting her she needed to work on something lighter.

She managed to study right through until near dinner time. She stretched in the chair, the noises of the common room becoming less muted after she had managed to shut them out. She took out the Marauder’s Map and looked to see where her friends were. Harry and Ginny were at opposite ends of the castle, moving quickly, probably looking for her. Ron was heading to Harry; they must have separated briefly to look for her.

“What’s that?” Theo’s voice came from behind her. 

“Just a map,” she tapped it and whispered the incantation to make it blank again.

“Hell of a map,” Theo told her, sitting in the other chair.

“Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs certainly thought so,” a piercing of hurt hitting her since they were all dead now. She stroked the parchment gently and placed it in her Transfiguration book. Theo just looked at her in an odd way. “I need to go find the others, they’re worried about me.”

Theo nodded. “They were very agitated at lunch. Will you be back tomorrow?”

“I’m not sure… depends on when I can get away.” She smiled at him. “Thanks again, today has been amazing.”

Theo just shook a hand at her like she didn’t need to say so. “Sorry about Blaise, his list is just a joke… I think.”

Hermione laughed. “Don’t worry about it, I was actually curious what he thought the most scandalous thing he could maybe get away with would be.” She stood, removing her Slytherin robes and placing them in her bag but she left her Transfiguration book. The map was safer here. She didn’t want Harry getting it back just yet and figuring out where she was going.

“See you later,” she said to Theo with a wave and ignored the stares from the other Slytherins as she exited.

* * *

It was two days before Granger could sneak to his common room again. Her three friends had kept her on a very tight leash for Sunday and Monday. Initially they’d thought something terrible had happened to her, Weaslette had cried and Potter had looked frantic, incredibly reluctant to let her go from the crushing hug he’d given her at dinner. 

However, once Weasley had entered and asked her something, she had nodded and Potter and his girlfriend had looked relieved as if whatever had transpired made perfect sense before the red-head started berating Granger, hanging off her arm and demanding information from her with a mischievous grin. Granger looked exhausted.

Draco hated that he was waiting for her. He scowled with every jolt of anticipation when he heard the dungeon open. It hadn’t been her any time all yesterday and he was doing it again today.

When she came into the common room the next time, they were ready for her. Perfectly poised like she didn’t bother them at all. She waved blandly at himself and Theo on the couch but resumed her place in the armchair she’d used last time. She noted the side table with her book and the jug of water they’d asked the elves for. She tentatively opened the tome but her blank piece of parchment was still there.

Theo had explained to him what he’d seen on it, but they couldn’t get the magic to reveal itself.

Granger had taken a book out of what Draco was sure was an illegal Extending Charm and begun studying again. This time she threw her legs over the armrest, sitting sideways in the chair. Theo and Draco were playing Wizard Chess. Blaise wasn’t around at the moment which could only be a good thing. Draco was losing badly, he kept stealing glances at the hair and legs he could see poking out either side of the chair. She was the loudest silent person he’d ever met. How quietly she sat occasionally turning pages was deafening to him.

Theo snapped his fingers in Draco’s face to pull his focus back. 

“She can’t even see you and you’re being so fucking obvious, mate,” Theo hissed at him.

Draco moved so that his back turned away from where Granger sat and it was marginally better, his hypersensitivity to her dulling without sight. He still lost the next two games. 

Three hours later, Granger was still quiet and reading, she was bouncing a foot like she was really enjoying whatever passage she was on. 

Then Blaise came in, “Greetings, my favourite heathen miscreants! Oh, and look, Granger’s here, too. Perfect,” he purred the last word and walked over to her as a team of elves began setting up tables of food and a bar.

“What’s the occasion?” Draco asked him, watching as he fell into the chair opposite Granger again, grinning at her.

His eyes looked over her curiously as she tipped her head back to acknowledge him upside down before turning into her book again.

“I was rather hoping our visiting princess might want to join us for dinner and some drinks. I doubt she’s been able to relax much without a group of cubs fondling her.” Blaise had cocked his head at her and she’d huffed as if it was unfortunately true.

“And how much peace will you afford me if I refuse?” Granger sighed.

“None at all, of course. I’ll be the one fondling you instead,” Blaise smirked at her and winked at Draco. He felt a roil in his stomach. That wouldn’t be happening if he could help it.

Granger sighed again seeming like she needed all the oxygen in the room to truly display her annoyance. But she got up, fishing a Galleon from her pocket and charming it while Blaise watched over her shoulder. 

“Oh ‘having dinner elsewhere’? How intentionally vague of you.” Granger was walking to the couches and took a seat at the opposite end to the one Draco was sitting in, he stiffened slightly at the proximity. Blaise had followed her, sitting opposite on the other couch with Theo.

Granger had crossed her legs and leant on the arm of the couch, head steepled in her fingers. She addressed Theo, “Is he ever quiet?”

Theo shook his head with a cheeky grin. “Hardly ever.”

“Shame,” Granger replied with a bored look while inspecting her fingernails. “He’d be so pretty if he was.”

Blaise clutched a hand to his chest in mock sincerity. “And here I thought you were completely unmoved by me.”

Granger moved her gaze to meet his. “Just because I didn’t get flustered by your lack of clothing doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the intrinsic aesthetic appeal.” She looked between the three of them in appreciation. 

Draco had flushed at her gaze on him so stood and headed to get a whisky. He had no idea how Blaise got the elves to set up such well stocked bar carts but at that moment he was grateful. 

“Bring the bottle and three more glasses, Draco,” Blaise had called out and once his request had been satisfied, he poured a drink for Granger, Theo and himself while Draco took a large gulp of the firewhisky seating himself back on the couch.

Theo seemed to want to join in the fun as he realised Granger wasn’t going to flinch away from answering loaded questions. “Is it true you all sleep together in one bed?” he asked, leaning in, curious.

Hermione tilted her head. “Not exactly,” Theo gestured for her to continue. “We have four beds put together.” 

Draco spluttered into his drink before looking at the beverage with distrust. “There isn’t Veritaserum in here, is there?”

“I don’t know Draco, is there?” Blaise’s smirk turned dangerous. “Who do you have a crush on?”

Draco’s mouth fell open, but nothing came out and he slumped back into the couch, relieved. “So why is Granger answering these questions?”

“No one’s ever been rude enough to ask before,” Granger gave Theo a teasing grin. “But it also occurs to me that you may not know me very well and the least I can do is share some things about myself since you have graciously let me hide here.”

The elves had placed plates in front of them and Granger began eating, thanking the elf. 

“So, you’ll just let us ask you questions and you’ll provide honest answers? That sounds like a dangerous game for you.” Blaise’s eyes were glittering wickedly, thinking what he could find out.

“Within reason,” Hermione waved her knife in the air. “How about if there is a question I refuse to answer that you simply must know, you have to hand over that list you made?” she held Blaise’s thoughtful gaze challengingly.

“Sounds like fun,” he said, beginning to eat as well. “So, is it a sex thing?” he jumped right in and Theo laughed while Draco stared at him horrified.

Granger just smiled at her food and shook her head. “No, it’s a we-need-help-with-our-PTSD thing.”

“Shouldn’t you have Healers for that?” Draco asked.

“We do, but it’s too exhausting to get whoever down to the Hospital Ward every night. Easier for one of us to give a calming draught or use essence of dittany if my scar starts bleeding again,” she shrugged.

“Your scar still bleeds?” Draco looked down at her left arm where his aunt had tortured her. She nodded.

“Something to do with Dolohov’s curse, I think. My chest glows purple before it happens like when he hit me. They’re not too sure, really.” She gave Draco a small smile to show it was OK to ask.

“Way to be a downer, mate.” Blaise rolled his eyes, he leaned closer to Granger ready to shock. “So was Weasley your first?”

Hermione snorted like she knew he would ask that. “No, I dated people before him.”

“Who were these lucky blokes?” Blaise was intrigued. 

“Some were people I knew from home, Muggles. Though I did spend time with Viktor every summer in Bulgaria,” she paused. “I should write and see how he’s doing.” She took out some parchment and scratched ‘ _Dear Viktor_ ’ before putting it away. Draco figured it was to remind herself to finish it later.

“But all these boyfriends got up your skirt?” Blaise pushed, making a face at Draco’s outrage. “Like you don’t want to know either.”

Granger angled her head, scouring her memories. “No, not every person I dated,” she finally said. 

“You took a long time with that,” Blaise teased.

“I was trying to remember if I ever wore a skirt with one of them,” she stared at Blaise blankly, making Theo laugh.

“What about Potter?” Theo joined in since Granger didn’t seem perturbed in the slightest.

“To my knowledge Harry has never worn a skirt, unless you count the time Fleur Delacour Polyjuice’d into him.”

Draco couldn’t help but laugh at the way Granger was running circles around this conversation designed to make her uncomfortable.

Theo huffed, confused. “When did she- _why_ did she? That’s not what I meant!”

“I know but I’m uncomfortable answering that question,” she placed her cutlery down on her finished plate and curled into the couch with her drink taking a sip, screwing up her nose a bit at the strong alcohol.

Theo and Blaise looked at each other. “I’ll give you the list if you tell us,” Blaise said, placing the folded parchment on the table between them, keeping his hand on it.

“That was the deal I suppose,” Granger looked put out, but Draco smiled into his glass, he could tell she was playing them. He felt a warm trickle of arousal pool in him as she so effortlessly conversed with his friends. He wanted to know what it would take for her to come undone, to not be quite so perfect.

“I wanted to at one time with Harry, but he rejected me. I think he was right to now but it’s still not something I like to revisit.” she blinked at them twice and sipped more whisky.

Blaise and Theo had deflated. “That is a very unsatisfying answer,” Theo pouted.

“That’s what I thought at the time,” Hermione poked her tongue out between her teeth earning laughter from them all but Draco shook his head as Hermione took the parchment from beneath Blaise’s fingers and began perusing it.

Theo noticed. “What is it, Draco? You’re clearly sitting on something.”

Draco smirked at his friend, using it as a shield to hide how his skin was prickling at being near her. “You realise she has distracted you,” he pointed a finger that was around his tumbler to the witch beside him. “She let you think there was more to the story with Potter, so you didn’t notice that twice she corrected ‘blokes’ and ‘boyfriends’ to ‘people’. And she never did give a comprehensive list of those she has dated either. She didn’t want you pulling on that thread.”

“Gold star, Malfoy,” she hummed at him, sending an amused smile his way.

The grins faded from the other two. “What.” Theo said as flatly as he could manage.

Blaise flopped back on the cushions, head falling on the back of the sofa. “Ugh, what a waste of leverage.”

“I agree,” Granger said. “This list is positively tame, I expected more from you. Or you’re more gentlemanly than I give you credit for.”

“It’s only a list of what I thought I could possibly try and persuade you to do. Had I known more about you I would have made it a lot more thorough.” 

“I suppose it is interesting to see how I am viewed from an outside perspective,” she mused. “But really a strip tease is the highest offering you thought I would perform? You don’t even have any magic on here.”

“Magic?” Theo cocked his head.

“Yes, pleasure connectors, tantric meditation spells, arousal indicators… that kind of thing.”

“Don’t you only need those if you’re failing somewhere?” Theo gave her a pitying look.

Granger laughed, it was wild and free and made Draco’s blood rush. “Oh, you poor purebloods. Why would you not want to take advantage of everything magic can give you? Muggles would kill to be able to do the things we can. Here,” she touched her wand to her finger and whispered, _Desiderium_. She indicated for Blaise and Theo to hold out hands and she pressed the pad of her finger their knuckles.

Blaise’s eyebrows shot up and Theo’s mouth opened in surprise. Granger turned to Draco waiting for his hand. He looked at her warily, his heart was racing and his palms were sweaty despite his trying to remain impassive. She was affecting him far too much, so cavalier answering everything that had been thrown at her tonight. “No, thank you. I’m good,” he told her hesitantly, but she rolled her eyes and leant over, stroking her finger down the side of his neck.

A low-level tingle erupted where she had touched and sent a jolt down his spine. He had to close his eyes and breathe slowly so he didn’t embarrass himself. He started bringing a hand up but opened his eyes when he felt Granger circle his wrist, stopping him with her unaffected hand. 

“If you touch where it vibrates it will transfer,” she told him and waved her wand. When she took her hand away, he held the spot trying to retain the warmth she left there. “ _Finite Incantatem_.”

The sensation left and it felt abrupt, almost abrasive.

Granger had sat back on the other side by now. “If you’re going to use that, I suggest _Defluo Incantatem_ instead so it fades rather than ends.”

Blaise looked very impressed. “OK, I’ll admit, that felt pretty good. Which stuffy library book did you find that in?” 

“Oh, I made that one myself. Vibrators are expensive and don’t work properly around magic. Just remember to focus on the intensity you want when you cast it and,” she leaned in conspiratorially. “You don’t have to use it on just your fingers.”

Blaise laughed outright at that and Theo chortled, shaking his head at the look on Draco’s face as he warmed thinking of all the implications of that sentence.

Granger fished the Galleon she had used earlier out of her pocket. “Have to run, Ginny is insisting I join her at the Prefect baths.” She began gathering her things, putting her shoes on again.

“Wow, they really don’t let you do anything alone,” Theo said incredulously.

“They really don’t,” Granger was nearly at the dungeon entrance now, but she turned back. “Thank you, I had fun.”

“Hey Granger,” it was out of Draco before he could stop himself. She waited for what he had to say. “If you’re not doing anything on Christmas, we’ll be having a small gathering after the feast in the Great Hall. If you want to come that is.” 

Her honey eyes were looking at him in surprise but then it softened and a genuine smile graced her something inside him clenched and he had to look away.

“That would be lovely. I’ll see you over the next few days anyway. Hopefully.” She waved and left.

“We’re doing something for Christmas?” Theo enquired, looking at his friend with a sly grin but Draco refused to look at him, slugging back the rest of his whisky and pouring another.

Blaise was practicing the spell Granger had taught them, prodding along his arms where he had folded up his sleeves. “I confess, I never got it before, Drake. I thought she was good looking but too uptight to be any fun.” His eyes leered at Draco. “She’s far more fascinating than I imagined.”

“You just haven’t been looking closely enough, she has passion for everything she throws herself into, I would guess the same applies to those she dates.” His head turned as he heard the dungeon entrance, but it was just Montague and the couple of second-years coming back from dinner. He swallowed his disappointment with more whisky.

* * *

The next morning Hermione was awake early. She waited for Ron to roll away and made sure Harry and Ginny on her other side were sleeping soundly. She snuck out of the bed and looked for her Slytherin robes. Well technically Harry’s Slytherin robes, but she couldn’t find them. The school was practically empty now anyway and she didn’t really need them. No one except Prefects on their rounds wore their uniforms during the holidays.

She hurried quickly to the Great Hall and quickly poured some coffee into a thermos. Harry had a bad night, and she was exhausted from soothing him but was determined to get as much study done today as she could so she needed more caffeine than just one cup. She grabbed a piece of toast but didn’t stop to add anything on it as she hurried to the Slytherin dungeons. She felt anxious anytime she wasn’t there studying. She knew she was going to have to find a way to tell her friends that while she would be there for them, she couldn’t _always_ be there. Not physically, it was driving her crazy.

She felt bad that they had decided to stay at Hogwarts for her and she was too busy avoiding them to properly appreciate it. She twisted her mouth in guilt, but her feet kept taking her to Slytherin anyway.

She slipped in and saw it was early enough that no one was in the common room. She breathed a sigh of relief and quietly made her way to her armchair but saw a familiar face asleep in it. Malfoy had managed to make the map work and had obviously been studying it until he fell asleep. She peered over his shoulder to see the section of the Gryffindor tower was visible, she could see that Ginny was moving around the room while the two boys were still asleep, unmoving. 

“ _Mischief managed_ ” she whispered, tapping the map. It went blank again.

Malfoy’s eyes were lidded but open now and he rubbed the back of his neck sleepily. His voice was hoarse when he spoke, “So that’s how you do it, couldn’t figure out that part.”

She smiled at him, “Morning,” she spoke softly. He was even cuter than usual when he woke up, all sleepy and rumpled, he had an openness about him. He hadn’t put on his mask yet.

“Coffee?” she asked and he nodded. She brought out her thermos and conjured two cups. The thermos was charmed to make any coffee she poured into her favourite flavour, she hoped he wouldn’t mind. As she handed him the ceramic receptacle, he perked up at the smell. 

He took a sip and brightened. He smiled in a way she’d never seen that dimpled his left cheek. She wondered why he wasn’t like this all the time, who would have thought Draco Malfoy could be, well, adorable. 

“What’s in this?” he asked her, taking another sip. “I usually find coffee too bitter and prefer tea.”

“It’s called a raspberry mochaccino. I can bring my peppermint thermos next time for you to try as well if you like?”

He nodded enthusiastically before the caffeine hit and she watched the change in him. He sat taller and his smile was put away, he side-eyed her close proximity and she moved away to sit in the other armchair.

She pulled out a library book and levitated it in front of her while she sipped her coffee, taking off her shoes and tucking her feet to read. She let him be awkward, shifting in his chair and sneaking her glances he didn’t think she’d notice before the coffee was finished, he’d thanked her in a stilted way and left, saying good morning to Theo who replaced him in the chair. 

“Got anymore of that?” he’d asked, and she conjured another cup allowing Theo to pour it himself.

“What smells so bloody good?” Blaise yelled from the stairs.

“Godric’s frosted taint,” Hermione murmured, causing Theo to laugh loudly as he made a cup for Blaise as well.

“Granger, darling, how are you this-” Blaise began but Hermione sent Theo a pleading look and the wizard rose and pulled the other man away.

“Leave her alone or she won’t come back, and you can kiss this heavenly concoction goodbye,” Theo hissed in a low voice. 

“It is really good,” Blaise had raised his voice annoyed at being led away, “I wonder if Granger tastes like this when-” Hermione placed a _Muffliato_ charm on herself so she didn’t hear the rest of that sentence. She wasn’t meant to study hexes until later in the day.

She zoned in on her work and studied advanced Astronomy celestial placements using her wand to create a mini planetarium to swirl above her and show the movements of the planets, moons and stars as she took notes.

As she watched though, a couple of the constellations changed their angle slightly and Malfoy dropped into the other chair again.

“That book doesn’t take into account the elliptical pull of the Andromeda galaxy,” he said, entering the zone where the Silence charm ended, pulling out his Ancient Rune book. 

“Thank you,” she said, waving away her notes where the new placements affected them and writing them anew.

She slipped into another comfortable silence with Malfoy but his reading cadence of turning the page every minute and a half was occasionally broken as he covertly studied her. Though she couldn’t be smug about it since she was so acutely aware of him, she knew how often he usually turned the pages. She hoped she wasn’t as obvious with her observations of the star patterns. 

She fought a flush so decided she should practice maintaining multiple spells at once. Her wand had to keep the starscape up so she wandlessly poured a glass of water and transfigured a spare quill into a straw, levitating it by her. Having to concentrate her energies like this certainly took her mind off the wizard next to her. If she strayed everything would falter. She idly created an aurora in her starscape relaxing and looking at it instead. It was still too quiet though, so she waved away the _Muffliato_. It sounded like most of the remaining Slytherins were in the common room, some of the younger students playing a game with something that was floating between them.

Her concentration was wavering with the influx of sound though and she caught her glass of water before it wobbled too much. There was a shout from the common room and then there was silence, she poked her head around to see what the problem was, but the common room was turned towards her and Malfoy, a familiar jingling above her. 

The mistletoe the second years had been playing with now fluttered between them. Utterly aware of Malfoy’s uncomfortable fidgeting and the rest of the Slytherins waiting to see what would happen, she gathered her belongings back into her bag before standing, she took a step closer to Malfoy where he was looking at anywhere but her. 

She bent over, taking his jaw gently in her hand, she tilted his face up to hers and closed the gap between them, registering the shock in his eyes as their lips touched and she closed her eyes. She rested there for one second then another before releasing him, fingers stroking as she pulled back. 

She walked toward the exit. “See you tomorrow!” she waved to Theo and Blaise who were staring mouths open as was the rest of the common room. It was still silent as dungeon entrance closed behind her. 

She managed to walk calmly halfway down the corridor before she entered an empty classroom. Leaning against the door, she slid down it, clutching her racing heart. She had actually just kissed Draco. She couldn’t pretend to deny any longer that part of the reason she had asked Theo this favour was to maybe spend some more time with Malfoy. Her friends had made it impossible to approach him this year. 

He was different now, more reserved and tempered from the effects of the war. She’d finally been able to appreciate his intelligence, his wit when it wasn’t sharpened into insults, how handsome he was now every look he threw her wasn’t a sneer. How he was caring now, he worried about her. How charming she found it when he fumbled around her with blushes and stammers. 

She remembered he knew how to work the map now and if he was in any mind to, he’d be able to see her freaking out in a classroom. She left and hurried back to the common room where Ginny tackled her in a hug as soon as she arrived. For once, the touch grounded her instead of making her want to take flight.

* * *

Draco was mutedly eating breakfast the next day. The common room had exploded last night after Granger had kissed him and she’d left. Of course it had happened when all seven of the remaining Slytherins for Christmas were in the common room. Though he supposed if that particular set of circumstances hadn’t happened it may not have occurred at all.

Theo and Blaise were loudest with their theories though the two 2nd years girls thought it was all terribly romantic. They hadn’t let him catch his breath for at least an hour and by the time he’d thought to look for her with the map she’d been in the Gryffindor common room being mauled by lions.

He had no idea what Granger had been thinking kissing him on the lips. The mistletoe went away even if it was on the hand or cheek. It had seemed very… deliberate. But he dare not think that she was interested. He couldn’t possibly have such good luck, surely? 

Even this morning his jawline still tingled like she had used _Desiderium_ on him but he knew she hadn’t. He kept unconsciously reaching to touch his lips like he could still her on him, soft, inviting, waiting.

He wished he had kissed her back, he wished he had asked her why, he wished he had stood up and pulled her back to kiss her again, he wished he had followed her immediately instead of sitting in shock like a complete and utter idiot. She probably thought he wasn’t interested and had just been polite. In short, he was a mess. He groaned.

Theo clapped him on the back. “Stop torturing yourself, everything will be OK. She said we would see her today, right? She wouldn’t have said that if she hated it.”

Draco groaned again.

“Mate, don’t worry. I have a _plan_. But you’ll have to be a lot more charming than you are being right now for it to work,” Theo side-eyed his friend who appeared to have put marmalade in his porridge and not realised.

A crash came as Blaise joined them. “Look alive, she’s on her way.”

And she was, looking radiant as ever and supremely unaffected while he could barely hold a spoon this morning.

She hadn’t stopped at the Gryffindor table and was smiling, waving to them instead.

“Oh fuck,” Blaise said to Theo, pointing at Draco. “He is so not ready for this.”

But as Granger reached the end of the table where they were sitting. Potter called for her from the other side of the hall. 

“Hermione! Stop!” she did and waited for him to catch up to her. He was holding some robes. “You know you’re not supposed to leave when you’ve had a bad night unless you check in.”

She huffed at him. “It wasn’t that bad and it’s stupid.”

“The Healer tells us we have to,” Harry warned.

“Well, he’s stupid. They need to go to some Muggle mental health conferences, the wizarding world is still using techniques from the 70s for Circe’s sake.”

“We still have to, so if you’re the balloon in the sky…” he started.

She huffed and crossed her arms but grudgingly replied, “You’re my tether on the ground.”

Harry kissed the top of her head and smiled and she smiled back but she was pointedly not looking at the Slytherins and scuffing her foot on the ground. Harry went around the back of her holding some robes in front of them both. 

“I was going to ask you about finding this on our bed, smelling like you, but since this was your first port of call am I correct in assuming you’ve been hanging out with someone in front of us?” He lowered the garment that could only be the transfigured Slytherin robes Granger had been wearing the first time she had arrived at the common room. They could now see Potter and Granger’s faces. She looked annoyed and he was grinning at her like he’d caught her out.

“If you must know, yes. I’ve been hanging out with all of them,” she turned her face to where Harry was leaning over her.

“At the same time?” Harry looked at their table, raising an eyebrow.

“Sometimes, it depends on who is around,” she looked at him oddly. He whispered something in her ear and she pushed him away, but he grabbed her hand with a laugh.

“Harry! That is positively the most filthy thing you’ve ever said to me. Blaise should really talk to you about favour lists,” Granger looked shocked and their interaction was not helping Draco in the slightest. Watching the easy way Potter could touch her when he had barely been able to handle a chaste kiss was making his heart thud dangerously in his chest.

At least Theo and Blaise seemed equally gobsmacked. Well Theo seemed gobsmacked, Blaise looked very entertained.

“No, I’m happy for you, really.” Potter said with a grin. “But I also chased you because I thought I should let you know. Gin, Ron and I are going to spend the rest of the holidays at the Burrow from tomorrow. We’ll come back on the train. We only stayed thinking you would be lonely, but it seems that won’t be the case. Not. At. All.” He gave her a wink. “Please hang out with us today, though? I’m worried Gin will hex Ron if we go without a buffer any longer.”

“It’s not like that, really.” she said though this was thwarted by the arrival of the two Slytherin girls.

“Ooh, Granger, going to join Draco for breakfast for more kisses?” one cooed as the other giggled.

“OK, I did do _that_ ,” she said. “But not everything else you are insinuating.”

“It’s a start at least,” Harry shrugged at her. “Please hang out with us today?” he was pleading now.

“Fine, but can I talk to my friends?” she pointed at them.

Harry just swept an arm and she stepped forward, but he stepped behind her, hand rubbing the back of her neck. Granger used a hand to try shoo him away but he looked past him like she was shooing something invisible and turned back grinning at her. She sighed. Draco understood how she was able to handle Blaise so easily.

She looked at them awkwardly. “Sooo, I guess I’ll be out of your hair tomorrow. I’ll be able to use the library instead. Thanks for everything though, I hope I can still come to Christmas?”

Blaise grinned at her. “Of course Granger, you’re welcome to come any time. You can keep coming after Christmas, too if you want.” She shook her head at Blaise’s teasing double meaning.

“Hermione! I want to cash in my favour,” Theo burst out. Granger blinked at him. “Ask Draco on a date.”

Granger passed her gaze from Theo to Draco and everything dried up in his throat. She flicked her eyes back to Theo with a concerned look. “I don’t want him to think I only asked him out as a favour, Theo. You hold onto that until you need it.”

There was a slight pause as Granger came to sit beside Draco he could barely breathe with how close she was. Potter had followed her, but she ignored it. “Draco, if you’re not doing anything tomorrow evening, would you like to go out with me?”

Draco smiled in the way he hated where his dimple showed but he saw her melt a little bit at it. “I’d like that.”

She leant in to kiss his cheek, but he finally found a sliver of courage and turned his head to kiss her full on the lips. Deepening it and rolling his tongue with hers as soon as he could, he felt Potter’s hand fall away from her as he brought her closer, with a hand to the back of her neck. 

She was smiling against him and it was perfect. He didn’t care that everyone currently in the Great Hall could see them or that this would be all over the school when term came back. He didn’t care his friends were making arses of themselves whooping and hollering or that he could hear the Weaslette squealing or Weaslebee say, “Bloody hell,”. He only cared about how this was better than he dreamed, hoped, wished and prayed and that flutter he felt in his chest that said this would be forever.

* * *

_Seven years later_

A knock came to Hermione’s office door.

“Come in?” she set down her quill. She hadn’t been expecting anyone.

Theo’s head came around the door.

“Hello!” Hermione exclaimed, coming to hug him. She pulled away and saw a serious look on his face. “Oh no, what’s wrong.”

“I’m here to call in my favour,” Theo put his hand in his pocket bringing out the letter she had written him so long ago.

“Absolutely. I can’t believe you’ve held onto it for so long,” she grinned at him.

He sighed and her smiled faltered. He looked up with pleading eyes, “Can you please propose to Draco? He’s tried five times now but almost has a panic attack and backs out. He’s convinced you’ll come to your senses and say no. He has his mother’s ring and everything.”

Hermione laughed, walking to her desk and reaching into a drawer. “I’ve done quite well without my senses for a long while if he thinks I’ve lost them.”

She pulled out a black velvet box and opened it for Theo. It was a silver band with green emeralds embedded in the pattern of the Draco constellation.

“Do you think he’ll like it?”

Theo grinned at her, turning to her open door. “I don’t know, do you?”

Draco came in rather sheepishly but stopped when he saw that she’d already wanted to ask, that this wouldn’t just be the favour. 

He strode over to Hermione and cupped her face kissing her all over while she giggled at him. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes,” he punctuated each kiss before she settled him to place the ring on his finger. It fit perfectly, of course it did because Hermione Granger had given it to him.

She laughed and gave that breathy sigh she always did when his dimple showed. “Would that be a thousand times yes, Draco?”

“I can keep going if you want?” and moved to kiss her face again but she looped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the mouth, whispering “I love you,” just before they connected. 

He didn’t care that he nearly passed out waiting outside for what she said to Theo while Harry had patted his back. He didn’t care that Theo was yelling out the corridor for the whole Ministry to hear that Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger just got engaged. He didn't care Potter was throwing confetti over them like an idiot. He didn’t care that he’d forgotten his mother’s ring on the table by their Christmas tree this morning. He focused on that flutter in his chest, the one that had never gone away and only become brighter. He used to hope the flutter meant forever, now he knew it did.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this. To be honest I was going to make it smutty but the story never led me there so I've kept it fluffy.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


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